A Perfect Match II — Wedding Day
by Savannah Singleton
Summary: It's wedding day for Frank and Nicole, but Frank runs into delays along the way. Will he arrive at the church on time?
1. Chapter 1

New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan stood in his bedroom of his two-story home in Brooklyn, taking one last look at the photo of his deceased wife Mary, mother of his four children. He had kept the photo of her on the top of his chest of drawers since the day he buried her ten years ago. But it was no longer the proper place for it, he felt. The next time he would be in this room, he would not be alone. The next time he slept in his bed, he would not be alone. He slipped the photo into the top drawer, making a mental note to add it to the other family photos in his downstairs den later. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, straightening his navy blue and red stripped tie. He knew it was Nicole's favorite, and that was why he had chosen it for this very special day — their wedding day.

A knock on his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in, Pop."

"How'd you know it was me, Francis?" Henry Reagan asked as he entered the room.

"Because we're the only two people in the house at the moment."

"Last time it will be just the two us living here, isn't it."

"That's right. Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"I think the bigger question is whether you and Nicole are sure you're both okay with me staying on here."

"It's your home, Pop. Nicole understands that. We both want you here, neither one of us would have it any other way."

"I'm glad. It is where I want to be. But I don't want to be in the way. It's going to be an adjustment for both of you, I would think."

"It's a big house, there's plenty of room for the three of us. So, how do I look?" Frank asked, standing tall and straight, after buttoning the jacket to his three-piece suit.

"You look great, son. I like that tie."

"So does Nicole. Her favorite tie, and suit. I thought I should have a new one for the occasion, but Nicole insisted on this one."

"Well, Nicole has good taste, in ties, suits, _and_ men."

Frank smiled. "Thanks."

"So, you ready, son? About time we head to the church, don't you think?"

"I do." He smiled again. "I can't believe I'm about to say that to Nicole. I'm still getting used to the fact that she actually said yes when I proposed."

"She loves you. That I've never doubted for a moment."

"And I love her."

"That I've never doubted for a second either. From the moment you first brought her here for Sunday dinner, I knew you had it bad."

"It was that obvious, was it?"

"Well, you made no effort to hide it. That was how I knew she was the right one for you. She made you happy. Everyone could see that. I'm just glad you didn't take too long to figure that out for yourself. Nervous?"

"No, not at all," Frank replied, then tilting his head from side to side, he said, "Well, maybe a little."

It hadn't taken long for Frank Reagan to know that romance novelist Nicole Richardson was the right woman for him, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, that he wanted to share his family with her, share her with them. He had been pleased that they had accepted her almost immediately once he and Nicole made their relationship public. Danny had had reservations, but he'd finally come around, for the most part at least. He and Nicole still clashed at times, but the situation never seemed to be something they couldn't all work out.

It had been five months since Sybil Rosseni, Nicole's best friend, had introduced them at a dinner party in her home, three months since Frank had gotten down on one knee and proposed. Some would consider it a short romance — too short, but they both knew it was what they wanted; neither felt the need for a long engagement. The press had gone wild with the announcement of their engagement. Frank found press conferences frustrating, always wanting to stay on topic, while reporters wanted to know details of their wedding plans, honeymoon details. Nicole was hounded with requests for personal interviews, but always declined them, stating she and Frank preferred to keep their personal life private, though they both appreciated everyone's interest and support. When she was asked what it was like to be engaged to the Police Commissioner of New York City, she'd replied, "Absolutely wonderful, just as it would be with any man I was madly in love with as I am Frank." The media loved it. They loved her, found her charm, her smile irresistible, sympathized with her for her loss of her first husband on 9-11. Her book sales skyrocketed. She donated the excess sales to various charities.

The wedding day had finally arrived. Frank's detail waited outside to drive him and his dad to the church, where the rest of his family, his closest friends, and his future bride would be waiting.


	2. Chapter 2

The day was as beautiful as Nicole Richardson had hoped when she and Frank had set October 10th as the date for their afternoon wedding. Spring was her favorite season of the year. She hated the long, cold winters of New York City, loved the way the city, and especially Central Park, came alive with the fresh blooms of the magnolias, the cherry trees, the dogwoods; loved the freshness of the air after a nice shower. But Frank had proposed to her the end of June, and neither had any desire to wait a good six months before becoming Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reagan.

October had it's own beauty and charm, with the deep rich Autumn foliage of the maples, the oaks, and the elm trees. The air was cool, and crisp. Summer was over, and the disappearance of summer meant the disappearance of the crowds of tourists in the city, a good time for the city's police commissioner to take a short time off to honeymoon with his new bride before the arrival of the holiday visitors.

Nicole sat on a stool in front of the full length mirror in the small dressing room of the Catholic church, as her best friend Sybil Rosseni styled her hair.

"How's that?" Sybil asked when she was done with the loose updo, secured with a delicate mother of pearl flower comb accented with beads, pearls and Swarovski crystals.

"Perfect! Thank you," Nicole replied as she looked into the hand mirror Sybil offered her, turning her back to the full length mirror to view her friend's creation.

"Of course it's perfect! Nothing less for my precious friend. So, I did good setting you up with the perfect man, didn't I?"

Nicole laughed. "Yes, you did! Took you several tries, though, before you got it right. But you did get it right, and I thank you!" Nicole hugged her friend, then asked, "What time is it?"

Sybil glanced at her watch. "Time to get dressed, I think."

Nicole slipped out of the simple shift she had chosen to wear to the church. She had done her makeup before leaving her home, but left her hair for Sybil to do. She didn't want to be caught "at her worst" — sans makeup, in case reporters and photographers were waiting for her outside her home, or the church. She had been pleased to notice none, but knew there was always at least one hiding somewhere with a zoom lens. It had been impossible to keep the date quiet, but Frank had asked members of the press to allow them privacy on this day, and so far they seemed to be honoring that request.

Sybil helped her slip into her dress. Nicole had chosen a 1950's vintage tea length sheath dress in ivory. The high-collared lace dress had capped sleeves, and sheer lace back and front above the sweetheart bodice. The back zipper was hidden by a line of delicate pearls. Sybil's dress was similar in style, but of Damask fabric, and red in color.

Once Sybil had zipped the dress for her, Nicole asked, "Now, where are my shoes?"

"Right there in that shoebox. You're not nervous, are you?"

"Me, nervous? Why would I be nervous? Just because I'm about to marry the Commissioner of New York City, head of the great Reagan family, and the majority of the guests today are his family and friends, and I'm probably going to trip and fall in front of them all walking down the aisle in these high heels—"

"You are not going to trip and fall, Nicole. You are the most graceful woman I know. Besides, if you do, Frank will be right there to help you up."

XXXXX

Frank and Henry climbed into the backseat of the beige SUV parked outside their home. Once they had buckled in, Frank said, "Let's get to the church, guys."

After a few minutes of silence, he turned to his dad and asked, "You did get the ring, right, Pop?"

"The ring?"

"Yes, Pop. The ring. The one I gave you last night, to take care of as my best man. The one that I'm supposed to slip onto Nicole's finger in less than an hour. That ring. Are you telling me you don't have it?"

"Jesus, Francis. I left it on my dresser."

"Your dresser. At home."

"Yes, Francis! My dresser at home. Where else? I'm sorry. You shouldn't have trusted me with it."

"In hindsight, I can see that!" Frowning, Frank said to his driver, "Turn around, Jerry, we need to go back to the house."

"Francis, are you sure we have time for that?"

"Well, I can't very well show up at my own wedding without a ring, now can I!" Looking at his watch, he said, "We've got plenty of time."

"Sorry, son."

"No harm done."

Frank reached inside his vest, pulled out his cell phone, checking it for missed phone calls, text messages. He was tempted to call Nicole, he wanted to hear her voice, but he certainly didn't want to confess to her that he had left the house without her wedding ring. And he didn't want to disturb her, in case she was still getting ready. She had not allowed him to spend the night with her, saying it was bad luck. They'd had a quiet family dinner following the rehearsal at the church, then he'd taken her home, where they'd spent quiet cuddle time on the sofa. He had called her earlier in the morning, but hadn't talked to her since. He missed her, couldn't wait to see her.

When they arrived back at the house, Henry offered to run in and get the ring.

"I'll get it. Keep the motor running, Jerry, it won't take but a minute."

Once upstairs and in his dad's room, Frank checked the dresser. He found the ring box, but no ring. He glanced around the room, no sign of the ring. He checked the top drawer. No ring. He reached inside his vest for his phone.

"Damn!" He'd left his cell phone in the seat of the SUV.

"Looking for this, Francis?"

Frank turned to see his dad standing in the doorway, holding his cell phone.

"Where's the ring, Pop?"

Henry reached into the pocket of his suit trousers, pulled out a ring. "Right here."

Frank looked at him with confusion. "Are you telling me you had it in your pocket all along?"

"I guess I put it there when I was dressing, and forgot. Sorry, son."

"It's okay. We're all a little nervous. Let's just get to the church, shall we?"

Back in the SUV, Frank said, "Let's try again. Get me to the church."

"About that, sir. We have a problem," the front seat passenger, Marty, said.

"A problem? What kind of problem?"

"A bad accident just occurred on the bridge. Traffic stopped both directions."

"Are you telling me I can't get to my own wedding?"

"That's about it, sir."

Frank sighed. "Just head that way, see what it looks like when we get there."

"Will do, sir."

Frank rubbed his hand over his mouth, looked at his cell phone, then made the call.

"Hey, Dad, where are you? Thought you'd be here by now," Danny answered on the other end.

"We're on our way, son. Everyone else there?"

"Everyone but the groom and best man."

"Be there as soon as we can."

"Okay, Dad. How ya doing?"

"I'm good."

Frank disconnected the call, returned his phone to his pocket, sighed.

When they reached the Brooklyn Bridge, they saw the stopped, backed-up traffic. They could hear the screams of sirens in the distance.

"What chance of this opening up in the next few minutes?" Frank asked.

"Very little. Want me to light it up, sir?" Jerry asked.

"No, let's just give it a few minutes."

They sat in silence as the minutes on his watch ticked away. Ten minutes later, they still sat.

"It's getting late, Francis. You're going to be late."

"I can see that, Pop. What do you suggest? You know as well as I do it's not proper protocol to use the lights for my own personal use."

"Once in a while it's necessary to bend the rules a little, son."

"And you know I don't do that."

"Your call, it's your wedding," Henry replied, frowning.

XXXXX

Nicole had just slipped into her beige three-inch heels when someone knocked on the door.

"How's it going, ladies?" Erin asked, as she opened the door and stepped inside the room. Seeing Nicole, she said, "Oh, Nicole. You just look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, Erin," Nicole replied. "How's your dad? Have you seen him?"

"Actually, Nicole, Dad's not here yet."

"He's not?"

"It's okay. Danny just talked to him. He and Pop are on their way."

"Everyone else here?"

"Yes. Lot of guests out there. I thought you guys kept the guest list small."

"Well, I did. Seemed like Frank just kept adding."

"How delicious!" Sybil said. "I thought that was always the bride who did that."

"It usually is," Erin replied. "Anything you need?"

"Just Frank," Nicole replied.

Erin smiled. "He'll be here soon. I'm going to go back in and make sure Danny's behaving himself. We'll let you know as soon as Dad gets here."

"Thanks, Erin," Nicole replied. Turning to Sybil once Erin closed the door behind her, Nicole said, "I wonder why he's not here yet."

"Who knows? Last minute grooming of that mustache, or something. He'll be here soon."

"I hope so." Nicole twisted her engagement ring on her finger. She knew she needed to move it over to her right hand for the ceremony, but she didn't want to do that until last minute. As she waited for Frank to arrive, she recalled the evening she and Frank had shopped for it. He had made arrangements with the jewelry store owner for them to shop after closing.

"Aahh, Frank, she's even more beautiful in person than in the photos," the owner had said when Frank introduced them.

"That she is, Mario." Frank had replied.

"I thought you might want to sip on a nice Champagne while you shop." Mario pulled a bottle out of an ice bucket and opened it.

That is so sweet," Nicole said after having taken the glass he offered her.

Mario reached for Nicole's hand. "Ahh, Frank, she has such long, delicate fingers. I hear they can take a man down, though. You keep that in mind at all times, Frank Reagan."

Frank blushed. "I always do."

"Now, Nicole, what did you have in mind? Big? Solitaire? Most women do, but I think such a ring would overpower such dainty fingers as yours. Might I recommend something else?" Mario asked.

"Please do." Nicole's engagement ring from Daniel had been a one carat round solitaire set in gold. Ten years later he had surprised her with a much larger marquise cut solitaire for their anniversary. She had loved it, but had felt it overwhelmed her long, slender finger.

"Allow me to suggest a round shape with a wider band to complement the length of your finger. Perhaps something like this one." Mario pulled out a ring, handed it to Nicole. The ring was classic in design, with a center round brilliant diamond encircled by two rows of bead-set diamonds. The band's hand-set diamonds added to the elegance of the ring.

"It's beautiful," she replied.

"Slip it on her finger, Frank. See how it looks."

"Okay."

When he did, Mario gasped. "Ahh, even more perfect than I imagined. Of course it's too big, but we can take of that. That is no problem."

"What do you think, Nicole?" Frank asked.

Holding her hand out in front of her, she said, "I agree with Mario. It's perfect. What do you think?"

"If you think it's perfect, so do I. You sure you don't want to look at a few more before deciding, though?"

"No. When you find the right one, no need to keep looking," she said, smiling at Frank.

"I couldn't agree more," he said, smiling back at her, and then kissing her. "Let me see it."

Nicole slid the ring from her finger, handed it to Frank.

"I didn't have a ring the first time, and you wanted it done right, so here goes." Frank got down on one knee and, for the second time, proposed to Nicole.

And, for the second time, Nicole said yes.

"Ahh, Frank," Mario said, holding both hands over his heart as Frank stood. "That was so touching, I almost said yes myself!"

"Sorry, Mario, I'm already taken," Frank had replied, smiling. And then he had cupped Nicole's face in his hands, and said, "Very taken," before he kissed her.

Nicole smiled now as she recalled the tenderness of that kiss.

XXXXX

As Frank sat in traffic, thinking about what his dad had said about the need to bend the rules, his phone beeped. He glanced at it, saw that it was a text message from Nicole.

_Frank, please tell me you don't suddenly have cold feet on our wedding day._

He didn't return a text, he called her instead. She answered on the first ring.

"Frank, what's going on?"

"My feet are quite warm, Nicole. I'm just stuck in traffic. I will be there when I can, even if I have to get out and walk."

"Frank, I need you here, whatever it takes."

Frank could hear the anxiety in his fiancé's voice, the voice he was accustomed to oozing composure, self-confidence. "I'll be there, Nicole, I promise. I love you."

"I love you. Please hurry."

Frank sighed as he returned his phone to his pocket once more, glanced over at his dad sitting to his right, then out at the traffic in front of them that was going nowhere, the lanes to his left void of any traffic at all.

"Light it up, Jerry. Get me to the church. Just be careful, don't get in the way of any of the emergency vehicles."

"You got it, sir."

"Good call, son."

"Think so, Pop?"

"I do."

When they reached the site of the accident, Jerry stopped just short of a patrol officer in the middle of the road, rolled down his window. Frank did the same. The officer approached, recognized the commissioner immediately.

"How bad is it, Officer?" Frank asked.

"Well, sir we have a big mess, as you can see, but fortunately no serious injuries."

"Glad to hear it."

"Sir, aren't you supposed to be getting married about now?"

"Yes, I am, Officer. Just having a bit of a problem getting there," Frank said, looking ahead at the damaged vehicles blocking the way.

"Hold on, sir. We'll get you through."

The officer called out to another officer, who was standing next to a patrol car blocking traffic from passing through. "Williams, get that squad car out of the way! The Commissioner needs through."

"The Commissioner? I thought he was getting married this afternoon?" Williams replied.

"You get your car out of the way, and he will!"

The officer jumped in the car, backed it up and then pulled it over out of the way, so that Frank's detail could pass.

"Thank you, Officer," Frank said to the first officer.

"Thank you, sir. You're always there for us. My pleasure to do something for you. Congratulations."

The officer backed away from the SUV, saluted as it drove away. The other officers did the same as the Commissioner passed.


	3. Chapter 3

Nicole paced back and forth across the small dressing room, stopping often to peek through the closed wood shutters of the one window in the room. The window looked out to the street that ran in front of the large building.

"Nicole, would you please stop pacing! You're going to wear a hole in the carpet," Sybil said. "Sit down."

"I can't sit. I'll wrinkle my dress. And I'm too nervous to sit. Where is Frank? Why isn't he here?" She walked over to the small table next to the full-length mirror, picked up her cell phone, looked at it in hopes of a missed call or text, aware she would have heard it ring had there been one. She tossed the phone back on the table, walked back over to the window, peeked out again, in hopes of seeing his usual black SUV.

"He told you. He's stuck in traffic."

"He's the commissioner. Surely he can make his way around traffic. What if it's something else, and he just didn't want to tell me? What if it's something bad? I wish there was a television in here. I wish he'd call back. I'd feel better if I could hear his voice again. Why doesn't he call back?"

"He's on his way, hon. He'll be here. So, tell me, who all did Frank invite? Who should I expect to see in there?"

"God! I don't even know. Frank's family, of course—"

"Well, that right there takes up a whole pew," Sybil interrupted.

"Very true."

"So, who else?"

"Let's see. Garrett Monroe; Abigail and her boyfriend; Lt. Gormley and his family; the mayor and his wife, of course—"

Sybil laughed.

"What?"

"I just had visions of Anthony in there, passing out his cards, reminding everyone to vote for him, while the present mayor sits and watches."

"Oh, God, Sybil! Please tell me he wouldn't do that!"

Sybil laughed again.

"Of course he wouldn't, although it would be absolutely delicious if he did, don't you think?" she said, smiling. "I assure you, sweetie, my darling husband will be on good behavior the whole day. But, hey, I did get you to stop pacing, to stop fretting over Frank for a minute, didn't I?"

"By giving me another worry! Thanks. What time is it?"

"About two minutes since the last time you asked. It's ten past one."

"The wedding was supposed to start ten minutes ago!"

"So, it starts a few minutes late. It's not the end of the world. Just makes it that much later before we actually get to drink, eat, and party. I'm suddenly absolutely ravenous. Aren't you?"

"Hardly. I could use a glass of wine, though, to calm my nerves," Nicole replied as she raised a wooden slat to look out the window one more time. When she did, she saw a beige SUV drive up in front of the church, to the left of the room where she stood. She saw the front doors of the vehicle swing open. She watched as the man she recognized as Marty stepped out of the passenger side, next to the sidewalk, and open the back door. She was somewhat relieved when she saw Henry step out, but continued to hold her breath until she saw Frank walk around the front of the SUV and join his dad on the sidewalk. She watched him as he straightened Henry's tie, and then his own. He tugged at the hem of his black suit jacket, then placed his hand on Henry's back, and the two of them hurried up the steps of the church, with Marty and Jerry following behind. Nicole had watched for a black SUV, but of course, she now realized, Frank would have requested the beige one for this day, thinking the color more appropriate.

Pushing the slat to return the shutter to its closed position, she turned to Sybil. "He's here. Thank God."

A few minutes later Mabel, the wedding coordinator for the church, stuck her head in the door. "We're ready to start."

Nicole took a deep breath, held it for a second, then let it out. She ran her hands down her dress to smooth it out, then touched the back of her hair.

"Do I look okay?"

"You look perfect, sweetie. Let's go get this done so we can party!"

XXXXX

Prior to coming for Nicole and Sybil, Mabel had led Frank and Henry to the side of church where they would enter the sanctuary to take their place at the altar, and wait. Once inside, Frank addressed the guests.

"I just want to take a moment to apologize for my tardiness, and to thank you all for your patience, and for being here today. It means a great deal to both me and Nicole to share this special day with our friends and family."

He then took his place next to Henry and the music began to play softly as the doors opened, and Sybil began her walk down the aisle. Once she took her place to the left of the altar after receiving a kiss on the cheek from Frank, the music changed, and the guests stood as Nicole appeared in the open doorway.

The sight of her nearly took Frank's breath away. She was even more beautiful than he thought possible. Her blue eyes sparkled as they met and held his own. Her curved lips were a soft pink, and Frank found himself longing for the moment he could hold her in his arms and kiss them. The smile on his face grew wider as he watched her walk toward him, resisting his incredible urge to meet her halfway. He wished he'd had a moment of privacy with her before the ceremony, but he knew she would not have allowed it, even if he had arrived on schedule. Once she had made her way to the altar, she took her place next to him, turning to face him.

"You made it," she said, just above a whisper, touching her left hand to his chest while holding her pale pink rose bouquet in the other. Her nails exhibited a perfect French manicure.

"I told you I would." Frank took her hand in his, put it to his lips. "Nothing would keep me from being here with you, Nicole. You know that. You look beautiful."

"So do you."

"Frank, Nicole, are you ready to begin?" asked the priest.

"Yes," they both replied. Frank released Nicole's hand, and they both turned to face the altar. Nicole switched her bouquet to her left hand, dropping her right arm to her side. Frank took her hand in his, gently squeezing it. She returned the gesture.

The priest began the ceremony with a prayer, followed by the customary Biblical readings and song. When the time came to exchange the rings after the couple had repeated their vows to each another, Nicole turned to Sybil, taking the wedding band for Frank, and giving her the pink bouquet. Frank turned to Henry.

"I don't have it, Francis. You do," Henry whispered.

"That's right, I do." Frank smiled sheepishly as he reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulled out the platinum band that was surrounded with a full circle of round brilliant diamonds to match the band of Nicole's engagement ring. Turning back to face Nicole, his smile turned proud.

The rings were exchanged and blessed by the priest as symbols of their love and fidelity, and then came the moment Frank had looked forward to since Nicole had first appeared in the open doorway.

"Frank," the priest said, "you may know kiss the bride."

"Good." Frank cupped Nicole's face in his hands, smiled as he looked into her teary eyes. He touched his lips to hers, whispered, "I love you, Nicole Reagan." And then he kissed her.

The guests stood and clapped. Some of the Reagans cheered. "Way to go, Dad!" Danny and Jamie both exclaimed. "Way to go, Grandpa!" Nicky shouted, ignoring her mother's lame attempt to show disapproval, while unable to hide her own pleasure of witnessing her dad's joy.

With Nicole's face still cupped in his hands, Frank touched his forehead to hers, chuckling at his family's vocal celebrations, and then he kissed her once more before releasing her to allow the priest to proceed with the conclusion of the ceremony.


	4. Chapter 4

Once the priest had introduced the newly wed couple to the guests as "Frank and Nicole Reagan" to more clapping and cheering, Frank offered his arm to his new bride and they made their way down the aisle, followed by Sybil and Henry. Once they had disappeared out of sight, the priest announced that everyone was invited to the home of Anthony and Sybil Rosseni for the reception.

The Rosseni's had insisted on hosting the reception the moment they learned of the engagement. Frank had been somewhat apprehensive about the idea, but did like the more private setting, and didn't want to cause any hurt feelings between them. He had considered hosting it in his own home, but knew even with hiring a catering service, the pressure of it would be too much for Henry. While he agreed to the use of the Rosenni's beautiful home, he insisted all expenses be billed to him.

After posing for numerous photos inside the sanctuary, many including the family, Frank and Nicole headed to the Rosseni's in the SUV. Henry accepted a ride with Jamie, saying he was looking forward to going for a spin in the old Super Sport. Also riding with Jamie was his partner, Officer Eddie Janko, who had been included in the guest list at the urging of Nicole.

When Jamie had offered to pick up Miss Janko, she had replied with "It's just a ride to the wedding, though, and not a date, right?"

"Oh, abolutely. Just a ride. Not a date," he had quickly replied.

"Okay, then I won't have to worry about you trying to kiss me goodnight or anything when you bring me home, right, Reagan?" she had teased him.

"Oh, no, that won't happen. Just a ride, nothing more, I assure you." He had blushed as he assured her she had nothing to be worried about.

When Frank and Nicole walked out of the church, they were surprised at what they saw — a large number of motorcycle police officers waiting in front of the SUV to escort them to the Rosseni home.

"What's this about? I didn't order any escort." Frank said.

"No, sir," Jerry replied. "Just several off-duty officers wanting to show their respect and offer their services for the short drive. I believe Lt. Gormley approved it."

"They love you, Frank," Nicole said as he helped her step into the backseat.

"Not always," he replied as he climbed in behind her as she slid to the middle of the seat.

"Well, today they do, and so do I, Commissioner Reagan."

"Love you, too, Mrs. Reagan, and not just today." He leaned over and kissed her before buckling his seatbelt. Jerry flashed his lights for a second to signal the motorcycle patrol ahead, and then followed them as they made their way through the streets of the city, with Jamie, Danny and his family, and Erin and Nicky following closely behind in their own vehicles.

XXXXX

When they arrived at the Rosseni home, they found the party in full swing.

"I think we could have skipped this and moved on to the honeymoon and no one would have noticed," Frank whispered in Nicole's ear, as he stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist.

"And miss the fun?" She turned her head back toward him as she wrapped her arms over his.

"I was thinking of tonight's fun." He kissed her just below the ear, and then her neck.

"I'm looking forward to that myself," she said, smiling, enjoying the tickle of his mustache.

"Frank. Nicole. Congratulations," the mayor said, as he and his wife approached, interrupting their romantic moment.

Releasing Nicole, Frank extended his hand.

"Mayor Deets, Mrs. Deets. It's a honor to have you both here."

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world, Frank. Lovely ceremony. Nice party. Seems my opponent knows how to entertain."

"It seems he does, sir." Frank added nothing more, simply smiled his usual big smile, not wanting to get too deep into discussion of Anthony Rosseni with the present mayor.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to be a no-show today. It's not like you to be late for anything, Frank."

"Yes, well, there are times that it can't be helped, and unfortunately this was one of those days. But I made it, and here we are now, with plenty of food and drink for all. Please help yourself, and enjoy."

"We will do that, Frank. Shall we, my dear?" Mayor Deets said to his wife, and they headed toward the bar.

"So, Dad, why were you so late?" Jamie asked.

"There was an accident on the bridge that had traffic stopped. We couldn't get through."

"Come on, Dad, you're the commissioner. What do you mean, you couldn't get through?"

"I think he was having cold feet," Danny teased.

"Danny!" Linda exclaimed, as she hit him on his chest with the back of her hand.

"I did not have cold feet! It's all Pop's fault. He forgot the ring. We had to turn around and go back!"

"You forgot my ring, Frank!" Nicole exclaimed.

"I didn't! Pop did!"

"Actually, not true, Francis. I had it in my pocket the whole time," Henry said in his own defense.

"So, why did you turn around and go back, if Pop had the ring?" Danny asked. " Cold feet, I'm telling you."

Frank opened his mouth to protest, but stopped, realizing he was not going to win this one.

"The important thing is, as I just told the mayor, I made it to the wedding, with the ring, and we are now married, and I couldn't be happier," he said, smiling at his bride.

"Good save, Francis."

Yes, good save," Nicole teased.

"So let's see this ring that caused such hassles getting here," Linda said, reaching for Nicole's left hand.

Nicole held out her hand for all to see.

Taking it in her own, and turning the wedding band for a good look, Linda said, "Wow! Will you look at that, Danny. The band even has diamonds all around it."

"Yeah, well, don't get any ideas, Linda. Remember, he has the big office downtown with the big paycheck to match. I, on the other hand, am at a much lower pay grade."

Everyone chuckled, including Nicole. She knew Danny was just having fun, but she was also well aware that the man she had just married carried a heavy burden of responsibility along with that downtown office and big paycheck. She was looking forward to their honeymoon, where he would be away from all the pressures of it, for at least a few days.

Nicole and Frank made their away around the large room, mingling with the guests, eventually getting separated from each other. Nicole had been chatting with her agent, Kerri Lane and her husband, when she turned to see Jamie and Eddie standing behind her.

"Eddie, I"m so glad you came," she said, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, ma'am, for including me. I'm honored to be here."

"You're welcome. And please. Nicole, not ma'am."

"Yes, ma'am, I mean Nicole."

"I almost didn't recognize you out of uniform," Nicole said, touching Eddie's long, loose curls. "She's quite beautiful, Jamie."

Blushing, Jamie replied, "Yes, she is."

"Aww, shucks, you're both too kind," Eddie replied, also blushing.

"Well, I think I will refresh my drink," Nicole said as she held up her empty wine glass, "and then see if I can locate my handsome husband. You two enjoy yourself. There is so much food!"

"There won't be if Eddie gets close to it," Jamie said.

"Jamie!" Eddie hit him with her clutch purse.

Nicole smiled at them. As she started to walk off, she stopped close to Jamie's side, took him by the arm, and whispered to him, "Don't be foolish and let this one get away."

"There you are, Nicole! Where is Frank? It's time to cut the cake, my loves!" Sybil said. "I couldn't find either of you. I was about to search the bedrooms!"

Laughing at her dear friend's insinuation, Nicole replied, "No need. I'm right here, and I see Frank coming our way."

"I just can't keep up with you, Mrs. Reagan," he said as he approached.

"I was just thinking the same about you, Mr. Reagan. Sybil says it's time to cut the cake."

"Good. Do we get to leave after that?"

"A little antsy in those pants, are we, Commissioner Reagan?" Sybil asked him.

"Sybil!" Nicole exclaimed. "Let's go cut that cake."

Anthony got the attention of the guests, asked them to gather around. He offered a toast for the bride and groom, and then turned it over to them.

Nicole and Frank first posed for the hired photographer, both holding the knife in preparation to cut the first piece of the multilayered traditional white wedding cake accented with pink roses. Then they cut that first piece, and fed the first bite to each other with their hands, making a mess, to the great pleasure of the guests. Once they had both wiped their hands and faces clean, Frank asked, "Now can we go?"

Nicole insisted they stay a while longer. Frank was relieved when she finally whispered to him that it was time to leave.

The guests gathered outside to see them off.

"Your chariot awaits, Nicole," Jamie said as soon as she and Frank stepped outside. "I washed and polished it for you this morning."

"Thank you, Jamie. It's beautiful. Perfect! I love it," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Blushing, Jamie replied, "You're welcome."

"So, Jamie, are you responsible for the added decoration as well?" Frank asked.

Laughing Jamie said, "No, dad, your grandkids get credit for that."

"Don't you love it, Grandpa!" Nicky said, beaming from ear to ear.

"I do," Frank said. "Thank you, sweetheart." He hugged his granddaughter, then kissed her on the cheek.

"Sean and I helped, Grandpa," Jack said.

"Then thank you, too. Do you two want a hug as well?"

"No way!"

"Then how about a handshake?"

"Come on, Frank," Nicole said. "A high five, right boys!"

"Right!" they both said as they high-fived with her.

Pleased with the connection Nicole had made with his grandchildren the past few months, Frank moved closer to her, kissed her on the head, smiling as he looked out at her "chariot".

Parked in front of the Rosseni's home sat Bessie, Frank's old blue Chevy pickup truck. A large sign painted with the words "Just Married" stretched across the tailgate. A long line of tin cans was attached to the bumper.

"How many tickets do you think that will get me on the highway, Pop?" Frank whispered to his dad, who had just walked up next to him.

"Don't worry, Francis, you can see that they go away when you return. It won't be the first time you bent a rule," Henry replied, proud grin across his face.

"Very funny, Pop."

XXXXX

It took Frank and Nicole three hours to arrive at their honeymoon destination in Bessie. Frank had left the choice to Nicole, anywhere she wanted to go, but had informed her he felt he could only take a week off, that there was just too much going on in the department to be away any longer. Not wanting to go anywhere that would require much travel or airport time, Nicole had selected the one place she knew was close, a place where she and Frank could be alone, to relax and get away from everything, a place where Frank could fish. She chose a place they had been to before — Frank's cabin in the Catskills. They would spend the next six nights at his cabin, with plans to return to the city on Saturday afternoon, in time to have dinner with the family on Sunday, and Frank return to the office on Monday.

For this first night, though, Nicole had chosen a different cabin — the small rental cabin on the water she and Frank had shared months before, after they had arrived at Frank's cabin for a weekend getaway only to find it already occupied. She had checked into the rental cabin that evening using her name, while Frank had waited in the truck. She was looking forward to them checking in together this time, as Mrs. and Mrs. Frank Reagan. And there would be no talk this time during the drive of Mary, or Daniel, or any other past loves. This evening would only be about them, and their future together.

Once they were settled inside the cabin, Frank took Nicole in his arms.

"I missed you last night," he said, in between kisses.

"I missed you, too," she replied, her hands around his neck, her fingers caressing their way through his short hair.

"Last time we don't share a bed. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Frank reached up to the top of her dress, slowly worked the zipper down the length of her spine. He then cupped her face in his hands, kissed her, and said, "I love you, Nicole, more than I have the words to say, and I love this dress, almost as much as the black one." He removed the dress from her shoulders, allowing it to puddle on the floor around her. The sight of her bare breasts aroused him even more than he already was. He scooped her up in his arms, and carried her into the bedroom.

With one arm around his neck, she touched the side of his face. "I love you just as much, Frank."

Her high heels hit the floor, one right after the other, just as they reached the bedroom.

_The End_


End file.
